Quick store-cupboard chickpea & red lentil curry with basmati rice
A cupboard-friendly, 30-minute vegan curry using tinned goods and red lentils — comforting, spiced and perfect for weeknights.
This is the kind of dinner you can make with one supermarket shop’s worth of tins and a packet of rice. It’s warming, reliably comforting and vegan — exactly what a weeknight needs.
Use red lentils to thicken the sauce quickly and tinned chickpeas for body and texture. Ready in about half an hour and very forgiving if you’re juggling kettles and homework.
Ingredients
- 400 g tinned chickpeas — drain and rinse
- 150 g red lentils — dry weight
- 400 g tinned chopped tomatoes
- 400 ml tinned coconut milk — full-fat gives creamier texture
- 300 g basmati rice — dry weight
- 1 brown onion — finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves — crushed or finely chopped
- 20 g fresh ginger — peeled and finely grated
- 30 ml vegetable oil
- 10 ml ground cumin
- 5 ml ground coriander
- 5 ml turmeric
- 5 ml chilli flakes — or to taste
- 5 ml garam masala
- 5 ml caster sugar
- 5 ml sea salt — or to taste
- black pepper — to taste
- 1 lemon — juiced
- 15 g fresh coriander — roughly chopped, to garnish
Equipment
- large saucepan with lid
- sieve or colander
- measuring spoons
Instructions
Start the rice: rinse the basmati rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Put the rice in a saucepan with 600 ml cold water and a pinch of sea salt. Bring to the boil over a medium-high hob, then reduce to the lowest heat, cover and simmer gently for 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave covered to rest for 10 minutes.
While the rice starts, heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the finely chopped brown onion and a pinch of sea salt and fry for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the crushed garlic and grated fresh ginger and fry for a further 1 minute.
Add ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric and chilli flakes and fry for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
Pour in the tinned chopped tomatoes, add the caster sugar and a little sea salt, then bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 5 minutes to reduce and sweeten the tomato.
Stir in the red lentils, tinned coconut milk and tinned chickpeas. Bring back to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for 12 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the lentils are tender and the curry has thickened. In the last minute stir in the garam masala and season with black pepper to taste. If the curry becomes too thick, add up to 100 ml water.
Finish by stirring in the lemon juice and most of the fresh coriander. Taste and adjust salt, pepper or chilli as needed.
Serve the curry spooned over the rested basmati rice and scatter over the remaining fresh coriander.
Tips
- Rinse the rice until the water runs clear — it removes surface starch and stops the rice going gummy.
- If you only have light coconut milk, reduce the added water or simmer slightly longer to concentrate flavours.
- Make-ahead: the curry keeps in the fridge for 3 days and reheats well — add a splash of water when reheating if it’s thick.
- For extra texture, fry a handful of frozen peas for 2 minutes and stir in at the end.
- To freeze: cool completely, portion into airtight tubs and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Substitutions
tinned coconut milk → tinned evaporated milk or 200 ml double cream with 200 ml water
Noticeably differentred lentils → split yellow peas or 200 g extra tinned chickpeas (omit extra water) — cook time will vary
Stays closebasmati rice → quick-cook couscous (150 g) — cook per pack instructions and serve immediately
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 785
- Calories
- 22 g
- Protein
- 100 g
- Carbs
- 33 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 700 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this gluten-free?
Yes — as written it’s gluten-free. Check the garam masala and tinned goods labels if you need strict gluten-free certification.
My curry is too thin — how do I thicken it?
Simmer uncovered for a few minutes to reduce, or mash a spoonful of lentils/chickpeas in the pan to help thicken the sauce.
Can I use dried chickpeas instead of tinned?
Yes, but you must soak and cook them first — that adds several hours. For speed, tinned chickpeas are recommended.
How can I make it milder or hotter?
Reduce or omit the chilli flakes for milder; add a pinch of chilli powder or a chopped fresh chilli for more heat. Adjust at the end after tasting.
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